Elizabeth the Explorer
by Pugilo
Summary: A series of moments where Elizabeth finds everyday objects that she has never seen before, and some character development between Elizabeth and Booker. No major plot spoilers
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Just as a disclaimer, Yes I finished the game the day it came out, I know all about the various character relationships, if you don't like what my other stories imply, that's fine, I posted an author's note explaining my decisions in that fic, but back to this one! I'm going to post new chapters as I come up with other cute ideas for Elizabeth, stay tuned!**

Booker sighed with relief as he and Elizabeth made their way past the security checkpoint thanks to her hidden talents with a hairpin. They were back on the main streets of this ridiculous floating city and he could relax a little, as the two of them blended in with the rest of the crowded street. Elizabeth was still fascinated with everything and would stop every few feet to look at a sign or inspect something mundane, like a bench. She reminded Booker of a new puppy, exploring for the first time and he suddenly felt a pang of sadness for this young woman who had been locked away for so long that the sight of a bench excited her.

As Elizabeth ran over to look at two small boys playing in an open hydrant, Booker leaned against a wall and thought about this job for the hundredth time since he had found the girl. "Who is she? And what makes her so important that they would study her for years? Why would you need to be quarantined after coming in contact with her? She's just a girl." As he pondered the mystery of Elizabeth he saw her twirl in the street and the sun reflect off her new pendant, a blue bird on a white background.

When that strange couple had shown up again and offered the pendants, Booker was more focused on who they were than which one Elizabeth wanted, but now he was glad he chose the bird, it seemed free and hopeful. That cage just reminded him of her imprisonment and that was the last thing he wanted her to be thinking about.

Elizabeth came back to Booker and grabbed his hand, excitedly dragging him forward, "Come on Mr. Dewitt, you have to see this!" Booker shook his head and followed her as she led him to a cart selling cotton candy. "What is it?" Elizabeth asked with wide eyes as she pointed to the sugary snack. "It looks like a pink cloud!" Booker smiled and flipped the vendor a silver eagle as he handed Elizabeth a stick of cotton candy, "Try it, it's sweet". Elizabeth looked at him with shocked eyes and said, "You eat it!? I thought it was a toy or something!" Booker laughed and shook his head as he pulled a piece off and popped it in his mouth.

Elizabeth eyed the pink treat suspiciously as she poked her tongue out and pulled a tiny piece into her mouth. Hey eyes opened wide with surprise as she tasted the sugar and she immediately went back for more. In under a minute the cotton candy was gone and Elizabeth's hands were covered in sticky pink sugar as she looked up at Booker like a child who got into the cookie jar before dinner. He just smiled at her and said, "Come on, let's find somewhere to get you cleaned up." Elizabeth smiled back and started skipping along the road, humming to herself as Booker followed, feeling happier than he had in years. There was something about this girl, and her energy that kept his spirit up.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Sorry I didn't get a chance to update all weekend! Easter happened and I went to visit a friend and all sorts of things, but here's a new chapter! Also thanks for all the reviews and favorites, you guys rock. I'm going to try for longer chapters as I know that's what I want when I read fics on this site. (Also very minor spoilers about Booker's past) **

Elizabeth continued skipping along the road as she headed towards two little boys that were playing in an open hydrant. The boys splashed each other and laughed as they darted in and out of the cool water. As Elizabeth approached they stopped and looked at her. She slowly walked up and placed her sugar-coated hands in the stream of water and began washing them. When her hands were clean again she shook them dry and smiled at the boys. They smiled back but one of them flicked a tiny bit of water towards Elizabeth. She gasped as the cold water hit her face the boys froze, unsure of what was going to happen. Elizabeth had a fire in her eyes and the boys took a step back, and then she dove into the hydrant, swinging her arms as she tried to get the boy wet.

The hydrant quickly turned into a mess of tangled limbs and splashes as Elizabeth and the two boys flung water back and forth at each other, laughing the entire time. Booker shook his head in disbelief as he watched this young woman, who was supposedly dangerous enough to have been locked in a tower all her life, playing in the street with some kids. Of the various jobs Booker had worked over the years, this was definitely the strangest so far.

Elizabeth and the two boys finally stopped splashing and collapsed on the warm sun baked street, exhausted and sopping wet. A woman at the end of the street started calling out and the boys got up and ran towards her, waving goodbye at Elizabeth with smiles on their faces as they went. Elizabeth sat up and started wringing the water out of her hair as Booker walked over to her. "You just can't stay clean, or dry, can you?" He said with a grin and he reached a hand out to Elizabeth. She took it and he pulled her up off the cobblestones as she said, "Well, it's warm out, I should dry pretty soon, and besides, I've never seen a hydrant opened before."

Booker shook his head again and started off down the street. "There's a shop up ahead, let's see if they can lend you a towel." Elizabeth nodded and walked beside him, making squishing noises with every step due to the water in her shoes. After a minute of squishing and giggling by Elizabeth, they arrived at the shop, which turned out to be a toy store, filled with bright baubles and toys of every kind. Booker stopped at the entrance and turned to a wide eyed Elizabeth, who was already looking at a tiny clockwork horse prancing around in circles, "I'm going to talk to the owner, don't get too distracted and try not to touch anything". Elizabeth waved a hand at him and immediately headed for a display of tin soldiers on the back wall of the shop. Booker sighed and walked over to the counter, ringing a bell in front of the register. An older man came out wearing a white apron and greeted Booker. "Why hello there young man, what can I help you with today, something for a child in your life?" He then noticed Elizabeth examining a porcelain doll in the corner of the store and added with a grin, "Or a special lady?"

Booker's mind flashed back to hazy memories and an empty crib as he thought about a child, his child, and what toys he could have bought, only to be brought back to the present by the shopkeeper. "Sir? Sir? I lost you there for a second, what can I help you with?"

"Uhh sorry" Booker managed to get out as he cleared his head, "I was wondering if you have a towel somewhere, my friend managed to get herself caught in a hydrant." The old man looked over at Elizabeth again and saw the small pool of water that had collected under her feet on the hardwood floors. "Oh I'm sure I've got one somewhere, let me check in the back." He said as he headed back through the curtain into what Booker assumed was his workroom. He turned to find Elizabeth back at the counter and playing with a bowl of assorted buttons with Duke and Dimwitt slogans on them. "I used to love these stories when I was little" she said. "They were some of the first things I would read and then try to act out in front of my mirror." She looked at Booker and asked, "Did you like Duke and Dimwitt when you were younger?" He chuckled and shook his head, "I had different kinds of stories where I came from."

Before Elizabeth could ask about them, the shopkeeper came back with a fluffy white towel and handed it to her. "Here you go miss, this should get you dry." Elizabeth took the towel and began to dry herself off, "Thank you sir." The old man nodded as he pulled out a rag from under the counter and began cleaning the shelves. After Elizabeth had dried off she placed the towel on the counter and continued to look around the shop. Booker placed a hand on her shoulder, "Elizabeth, we should probably get going." "Wait, what is THAT?" she said, pointing to a metal coil on the shelf. Booker looked up and saw the old man had just placed a slinky on a small set of wooden steps, and watched Elizabeth, who was transfixed by the slinky bouncing down. "Why it's a slinky, a coiled wire that can walk down stairs!" the shopkeeper said as he took one down and handed it to Elizabeth. She tentatively held it in one hand and the shopkeeper held his hands palm up, moving them up and down alternatively. Elizabeth copied the motion and giggled as the slinky moved from palm to palm.

Booker slid two silver eagles across the counter and took Elizabeth by the elbow as he walked out of the store. The old man gave him a wink as they left and Elizabeth kept bouncing her new toy between her hands. "This is incredible!" she said as they walked back into the sun filled streets. "I wonder how high I can get" she said and then there was a glint in her eye as she started looking around the street. "Elizabeth what are you…" Booker started but then she had grabbed him by the arm and pulled him into a side street that was empty except for a Dollar Bill vending machine waving his mechanical hands back and forth. Elizabeth looked up at the roof of one of the buildings, with shingles that were staggered like steps, and Booker understood what she was thinking. "Yes Elizabeth, your slinky would be very good up there, but we'll never reach that roof and I don't feel like breaking my neck trying to get up to it." Elizabeth had a determined look in her eye as she replied, "Just watch this Mr. Dewitt".

Elizabeth reached in front of her and grasped at the air as if she was trying to get a hold of it. Booker was about to say something when the space in front of her started to shimmer and she did manage to grab what looked like air to Booker. He continued to watch in shock as she pulled open what looked like a window and the she stood back as it snapped into place. In front of Elizabeth was a shimmering, something, and before he could even try to understand what was happening, Elizabeth was doing it again, but this time looking up at the roof. He watched in astonishment as another window opened up on the roof with the shingle stairs and Elizabeth placed her slinky through the window in the alley. She then stepped back and both windows disappeared but the slinky had somehow gone through them, and was now on top of the roof. Booker took a staggered step back and sat on the curb as he looked up at the slinky, which was now beginning its long descent from the roof. Elizabeth watched with glee as the slinky bounced down from each level of shingles until its final long leap off the roof. She caught the slinky in her hand and twirled around laughing, "That was amazing! It bounced all the way down!" She turned and hurried over to Booker holding her slinky out, "These are so much fun! Let's see where else we can use it."

"Elizabeth" Booker started, "What exactly did you do there?" He was starting to guess why his employers were so interested in this girl. "Oh that, I opened a tear. I used to do it all the time in my tower." She said as if it was nothing more exciting than turning on a light. "But what is it, how did you get the slinky up there?" He asked. "Think of it as a window, a window to another world. I opened a window here then another up on the roof for my slinky to go through. How else was I supposed to get up there?" She said. "Well whatever it is, let's not do it around anyone else, I feel like they would have a hard time understanding." Booker said as he stood up and led Elizabeth out of the side street, still giving her a strange look. Elizabeth shrugged and nodded her head as she started skipping along the road again, on the lookout for more steps to use her slinky on. Booker went after her, wondering what other surprises were in store for him. 


End file.
